Architecture Walk: Downtown's Evolving Skyline

When the Binz Building opened in 1895, Houstonians flocked there to see what the world looked like from the top floor — six stories above the street. And although the city's skyline has changed a great deal since then, Houston's fascination with the skyscraper hasn't. This tour explores the changes in downtown Houston's skyline during the past 100 years through buildings like 806 Main, called "Carter's Folly" when it was completed in 1910 because some locals thought a 16-story building couldn't stand on its own, and Philip Johnson's groundbreaking Pennzoil Place, which set the stage for the postmodern skyline of the 1980s.

These buildings are a fascinating record of the city's growth, and our 90-minute, docent-guided tour will discuss the engineering, architectural and cultural changes that shaped them.

Tickets will go on sale at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, November 15, 2015, under the canopy of The Rice on the northwest corner of Main Street and Texas Avenue. Admission is $10 for the general public ($7 for Preservation Houston members and students with valid ID). Those who walk, ride a bike or use public transit to get to the tour will receive a $2 discount. Children 11 years old and under are admitted free. Tickets may be charged to Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. The last tour group will leave just after 2 p.m. Advance reservations are not required for this tour.